Mission: Blimpossible
Mission: Blimpossible is the twenty-fifth aired episode of the first season of Crash Bandicoot: N-Ventures!, though it was the twenty-sixth produced. Originally intended to air as the season finale, the episode features Dr. Neo Cortex embarking on his most professional scheme ever, in outer space! Plot Summary An economic recession is terrorizing N. Sanity Island, and even Crash Bandicoot himself is affected! He tries to save money by forcing his friends to change - Coco has to give up her on-line World Wide Wumpa access, Polar has to eat generic store-brand ice cream instead of buying expensive treats from Beaker-Labby's shop, and N. Brio has to start washing and reusing his beakers instead of constantly buying replacements. All this, however, is simply not enough. One day, while watching The Golden Retriever Girls on Wumpavision, Coco suggests that Crash could save money by cutting back to basic cable. Crash refuses, since he loves Wumpavision dearly. Instead, he decides to head out and sell his stuff. Crash heads out to have a chat with his dear friend Papu Papu, who directs Crashie toward the recently opened pawn shop, Cornice Lute's Buy-and-Sell-o-Porium, which he gleefully reports has paid him handsomely for his Power Crystal. Crash has a few Crystals in his possession as well, so he runs in and quickly sells them to the mysterious "Cornice Lute" as well, getting a million dollar bill in return. Crash and Papu are thrilled with their brilliance, until Coco arrives on the scene and quickly points out that the money is counterfeit. She further points out that "Cornice Lute" is an anagram for "Uncle Cortie". An embarassed Papu commands them to get his prized Crystal back, at any cost. Meanwhile, the deviously brilliant Dr. Neo Cortex is watching The Freshly Baked Wumpa Pie of Bel-Air on Wumpavision. Tiny bursts in to proudly report that "the preparations" are complete. Cortex, however, does not appreciate having his WV time interrupted, and grounds Tiny for life. Cut to several hours later! Crash and Coco have successfully navigated the vast ocean on Papu's yacht to arrive at Cortex's new super-secret hideout on Spaced Out Island. They decide to start looking for the Crystals inside Cortex's blimp. However, once they step through the door, the blimp begins flying, and they have no way to get off! They see the Komodo Bros. and decide to ask them where the blimp is headed. Moe declares that Dr. N. Gin used his technologies to make it into an astro-blimp to go into outer space. Joe is unhappy that this information has been leaked, and proceeds to beat up his beloved brother, offscreen. Crash is panicky to the point of uselessness, but Coco decides to head up to the front of the blimp and ask Cortex to turn the blimp around. Cortex, sporting a delightful new blonde hairstyle, declines. He monologues that he has finally created the ultimte weapon, so ultimate that it can only be powered by the combined power of all eight Power Crystals: Uncle Cortie's Multi-Tasking Deep-Frying, Hair-Dying, Planet-Transmorgrifying All-in-One-o-Tron! With this, from outer space, he intends to turn Earth into a harmless Wumpa fruit, that he can conquer effortlessly! She tries to Spin Attack him, but Cortex summons Ripper Roo to fend her off with a magical wall of Flaming TNT Crates! She fears that all hope is lost, and returns to Crashie, who spontaneously has a plan! He locates Koala Kong's room, and sneaks up on him during his daily intense dance aerobics training, taking him out with a Spin Attack, and then dressing up in his clothes as a devious disguise. He walks up to Cortex and, summoning his best Koala Kong impression, implores Cortex to turn the blimp around and go back home. Cortex is almost ready to comply, but then Tiny walks into the room, begging "Koala Kong" to show off his latest dance moves. Tiny performs a smooth R&B number for him to dance to, but out of instinct, Crash is only able to perform a badly animated version of his patented Crash dance. Cortex immediately realizes what has happened, and summons Pinstripe Potoroo to chase Crash away with his Pyro Flame Cannon. Cortex then double-grounds Tiny for life, for unintentionally forcing him to watch that infernal bandicoot's stomach-churning lack of rhythm. The bandicoots are depressed now. Crash decides that nothing would cheer them up like watching an episode of The Golden Retriever Girls on his pocket Wumpavision. In this episode, Petunia, the stock dumb character, accidentally lights a birthday candle right next to a helium balloon, to comical explosive results. This fails to cheer them up, however. Just then, they hear N. Gin announce over the loudspeaker that Dr. Neo Cortex has donned his jetpack, and has gone outside to fire his weapon, which was mounted atop the blimp, apparently. N. Gin commands all minions to don their jetpacks and head outside to witness the spectacle as well. He then continues to go on and on about how wonderful Cortex is, during which Crash and Coco put on jetpacks of their own and head out, too. Cortex is preparing to fire the weapon, when Crash and Coco rush after him! Cortex, however, commands Ripper Roo and Pinstripe Potoroo to defend him with their fire-based weapons. Crash immediately gives up, but Coco has a stroke of genius, showing off some impressive aerial acrobatics and ultimately tricking them into attacking the blimp itself, which, being filled with helium, immediately engulfs everything in a massive explosion! A frustrated Cortex gathers up the eight Power Crystals and tries to escape into the Super-Big Outer Space Techno-Portal, but Crash gives chase and disables him with a well-aimed Space Spin Attack! Crash and Coco have won, despite being stranded in space forever now. This so impresses the Spirit of the Crystals that it appears to them (voiced by Special Guest Star Tammy Wynette) and sings an original song about outer space. It then uses its magical Crystal powers to send everyone back to Earth and end the recession! Relieved, Crash and Coco settle down to watch yet another episode of The Golden Retriever Girls on Wumpavision. Coco is disinterested, so she decides to surf the World Wide Wumpa instead. Polar decides to join them, while devouring tub after tub of Beaker-Labby's Super-Duper-Scooper-Premium ice cream. Everyone is happy and laughing with joy. Elsewhere, Papu Papu is also happy, since he has his beloved Power Crystal back! While polishing it vigorously, he muses to Speary Spencer and Shieldy Sheldon on the importance of memorizing one's Social Security number.